One-piece buckle



Nov. 16, 1937. J. A. DEVENDOR ET AL- I 2,099,199

ONE-PIECE BUCKLE Filed April 28, l9 34 BY I M I 7 HDEI E/V QQ A TTORNEYPatented Nov. l6, 1937 ONE-PIECE BUCKLE John A. Devendor and William A.Devendor,

Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application April 28, 1934, Serial No. 722,858

.6 Claims. (01. 24-198) Thisinvention relates to adjustable straps forgarments and more particularly to slide and loop- 15 of threadingoperations'is particularly difllcult because each opening is alreadyoccupied by one stretch of the strap and also because the leading end ofthe strap is apt to become bunched or frayed as it is passed through oneopening after '20 another. It is necessary, moreover, to stitch thestrap to prevent dislodgment of the first formed loop because the secondloop has extensive rubbifig engagement with the first loop, and willpull the first loop out when the slide is adjusted unless 25 the firstloop is positively retained in place by stitching.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the necessity forstitching the first loop in place. To this end, provision is made of aslide 30 having four successive, distinct slots, the two inner slotsbeing separated by a central tongue orcrossbar about which the innerstrap loop is passed, and the two outer slots being separated from theinner slots and adapted to receive the as strap when it is loopedthrough the second time.

' Theinner slots are narrow and are adapted to bend the strap sharplyand to bind it quite snugly so that no stitching is necessary. A furtherfactor tending to obviate the stitching vis the fact 40 that the firstand second strap loops do not pass throughv the same slots and do not,therefore, have substantial frictional engagement with one another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel slideconstruction which obviates. the

- necessity'for threading the strapends through the slots or openings inthe slide and which, in-

stead, enables the strap to be slid into each slot 50 edgewise through anarrow passage extending into the slot through the periphery of theslide. As applied to the inner slots of the slide embody-'- ing thisinvention, this feature has the further. advantage that the inner slotsmay be made nar- 55 rowel l' Since the Strap 1 be observed that theinner ribbon loop which 55 inserted edgewise into a slot through whichit could not be threaded.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention the provision ofslots for facilitating the insertion of the ribbon is applied also tothe loop which forms part of the shoulder strap.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawingforming part of this specification, andillustratingcertain preferred embodiments thereof,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front elevation illustrating a portion of anundergarment having a shoulder strap embodying features of the inventionapplied thereto;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation and on a larger scale thanFigure 1 illustrating more in detail the slide and loop construction ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the structure of Figure 2,the section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows; I

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the slide disclosed in the precedingfigures;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of another form of slide embodyingfeatures of the invention;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the loop disclosed in Figures 1 to 3;and

Figure! is a perspective view of another form of loop embodying featuresof the invention.

In'the embodiments of Figures 1 to 4 and 6 disclosure is made of anundergarment I having a strap length or ribbon 2 secured thereto. Theribbon is passed through the lower opening 3 of a loop 4 and doubledback on itself, both ends of the ribbon being stitched to theundergarment. A second strap length or ribbon 5 is passed through anupper opening 6 of the loop 4. One end of this ribbon is passedsuccessively through slots I and 8 of a slide 9, the ribbon end passing.

stitched to the back of the garment.

When it is desired to shorten' or lengthen th shoulder strap the slide 9is seized and slid up or down theouter stretch of the ribbon 5. It willembraces the cross-bar llihas very slight conbe impossible. The narrowerthe slots- I and 8- tact with the outer ribbon loop I4, and hence thereis little tendency for the inner loop to be dislodged when the length ofthe shoulder strap is adjusted.

The. chief item of expense which has been involved in prior adjustableshoulder straps has been the cost of assembling the slide and loop withthe ribbon. One reason why this operation has been expensive has beenthat the ribbon had to be threaded repeatedly through the same openingsof the slide. with both the slidev and loop, moreover, the ribbon had tobe threaded through endwise just as a needle is threaded and thisoperation could not be performed rapidly, particu-.

larly if the ribbon ends were at all frayed or bunched.

In accordance with the present invention, each of the slots l2 and I3can be entered from the periphery of the slide through an obliquelyextending narrow passage l5 having a flared mouth.

The passage l5 inclines inward from the end of the slot to facilitatethe smooth and continuous passage of the ribbonin through the passageiiand across to the end of the slot remote from the passage. Theobliqueness of the slot further causes the end of the passage whichcommunicates with the slot to be disposed between the ends of the slotso that an overhanging shoulder I 8 is formed behind which the trailingedge of the inserted ribbon may be located and by which it may beretained.

Each of the slots 1 and 8 communicates at one end thereof with theperiphery of the slide through a passage I I. The passage i1 is locatedout of alignment with the slot and an oblique portion I8 is provided forguiding the ribbon into the slot. A shoulder I9 on the slide extendsacross the end of the slot to retain the inserted ribbon. With thisconstruction, the assembly of the ribbon and the slide can beexpeditiously and economically affected. The ribbon end is first passededgewise into the slot 8, then edgewise into the slot 1, or vice versa.Another portion of the ribbon is then passed edgewise into the slot l2and then into the slot l3. This completes the assembly of the ribbonwith the slide. 1

The sides of the slide which extend across the closed ends of the slotsI and 8 are desirably provided with pressed reinforcing ribs 1a tostiii'en the slide in its weakest and most flexible portions.

The intermediate portion of the ribbon may be assembled with the loop 4in. a similar manner. Each of the slots 3 and 6 of the loop is providedwith an obliquely extending passage 20 enabling the ribbon to be slidedgewise into the slot from the periphery of the. loop; The ribbon may.

if desired, be fully assembled with the slide and thereafter assembledwith the loop since it is not i necessary to have a free end of theribbon for threading through the loop. The other length of ribbon 2 isinserted edgewise into the unoccupied slot oi. the loop I. Thisoperation may also be effected after the ends of the ribbon 2 have been:

but a single length of ribbon but also becausea ribbon can be passededgewise into a slot so narrow that threading through of the ribbonwould slot and an oblique passage portion 23 is provided for guiding theribbon into the slot.

It is desirable inthis form of construction to safeguard the ribbonagainst possible escape from the slots Ho and l3a through the passages2| when adjustment is being made. To .this end each of said'slots ismade a little wider at the end remote from the entrance passage than atthe end adjacent such passage, the inner wall of each slot divergingslightly from the outer wall thereof as it recedes from the entrancepassage.

Thus each inner slot wall is inclined slightly and has a slight tendencyto shift the ribbon away from the entrance passage when the ribbon isdrawn through the slot in either direction.

The loop of Figure! diii'ers from the loop of Figure 6 in the samemanner that the slide of Figure 5 differs from the slide of Figure 4.Each slot 3a and 6a is entered from its end through a passage 24. Ashoulder extends-completely across the normal width of the slot and anoblique passage portion 26 serves to permit the ribbon 5 to enter theslot.

While the forms of slides ,and loops illustrated herein have beendescribed and shown as incorporated in shoulder straps for garments, itwill be appreciated that their utility is not confined to such use.These elements may find utility in belts, garters, suspenders, and otherarticles of wearing apparel. The loops illustrated have utility asslides and reference in the appended claims to slides is intendedbroadly to apply to any of the 7 structures of Figures 4 to '7 unlessinconsistent with the context.

While we have illustrated and described in detail certain preferredforms of our invention, it

is to be understood that changes may be made,

therein and the invention embodied in other structures. We do not,therefore, desire to limit ourselves to the specific constructionsillustrated,

but intend to cover our invention broadly in whatever form its principlemay be utilized.

We claim:

1. A slide for adjustable straps having two distinct pairs of slotstherein, all of the slots being disposedinsubstantially parallelrelation, the slide being provided with ofls'et openings in itsperiphery which communicate with the two inner slots, and being formedwith shoulders standing across the entrance ends of said slots.

2.- A slide for adjustable straps having two distinct pairs of slotstherein, all of the slots being disposed in substantially parallelrelation, the slide being provided with offset openings in its peripherywhich communicate with the two inner slots, and being formed withshoulders standing across the entrance ends of said slots, the slotsofone pair being separated from one another by a rough-edged crossbar.

3. A slide for adjustable straps having inner and outer pairs ofparallel slots thereinv and having passages letting obliquely into theslots of the outer pairs through the ends of the slide and passagesletting obliquely into the slots of the inner pair through the sides ofthe slide.

4. A slide for adjustable straps having inner and outer pairs ofparallel slots therein and having passages'letting obliquely intoalternate slots through one side of the slide and passages lettingobliquely into the other alternate slots through the opposite side ofthe slide, each passage entering its slot through a side of the latter.

5. A slide for adjustable straps having a pair of parallel transverselyextending slots therein, one of said slots communicating with theperiphery of the slide through a side of the slot near one end thereof,and the other communicating with the periphery of the slide through aside i of the slot-near the opposite end thereof, said slots being oftapering width, each increasing gradually in width toward the end remotefrom the point of communication with the periphery of the slide. I

6. A slide for adjustable straps having inner and outer pairs ofparallel transversely extending slots therein, one of the slots of theinner pair communicating with the periphery of the slide through oneside of the slide and the other communicating with the periphery of theslide through the other side of the slide, said slide having stiffeningribs disposed across the closed ends of said inner slots.

